Exemplary embodiments of the invention relate to an elevator system, and more particularly, to a machine assembly for moving an elevator car of an elevator system.
Elevators carry passengers, cargo, or both between different levels in a building for example. There are different mechanisms for moving an elevator car within a hoistway. Traction-based elevator systems utilize a roping arrangement for suspending the elevator car and moving the car as desired within the hoistway. Most traction based systems include a counterweight. Traditionally, traction based elevator systems include a machine room in which the elevator machine, drive, and control components are located. For example, a separate structural room is positioned at the top of the hoistway, such as on a roof of a building. The machine room provides access to the motor, brake, drive, and controller components for service and maintenance operations. A modern trend in elevator systems has been to eliminate the machine room and provide a machine roomless elevator system. Eliminating the machine room provides the advantage of reducing construction cost otherwise associated with providing a separate machine room.
In current machine roomless elevator systems, the machine assembly is generally located above the roof of the elevator car when the elevator is at the top landing of the hoistway, to maximize the space in the hoistway available for the counterweight. Consequently, to access the machine assembly, such as for inspection or to perform maintenance, a mechanic may either stand on top of the car or use a ladder extending through a panel of the roof of the elevator car. Elevator codes, particularly in Europe, are expected to require an increase in clearance at the top of the hoistway. There is therefore a need to reposition the machine assembly within the hoistway to avoid increasing the hoistway dimensions and to provide a mechanic access to the elevator machine from inside the car when the car is parked at an adjacent landing.